The "heart of compassion" refers to the sympathy and sense of unbearable pity that naturally arises in one's heart when witnessing the suffering of others. The phrase originates from the "Mencius: Gongsun Chou I," where Mencius uses the example of a "child falling into a well" to illustrate that everyone possesses a "heart of alarm and compassion," which he regards as the sprout of benevolence. This idiom emphasizes that compassion is an innate instinct of human beings, not something imposed by external forces, and is one of the core concepts of Confucian theory of the goodness of human nature. It is mostly used to describe pity and care for the weak and the unfortunate, and is commonly found in moral discussions, literary descriptions, or everyday expressions. Its emotional tone is positive and warm, carrying compassion and goodwill. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the Chinese cultural tradition of valuing benevolence and extending oneself to others, echoing the principle of "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you." Its deeper meaning lies in the fact that the heart of compassion is not merely an emotional response but the starting point of moral action, reminding people to transform sympathy into acts of helping others.
📝 Example
Seeing photos of children in the disaster area, he couldn't help but feel compassion and immediately donated money and supplies. (Referring to sympathy and pity for the affected children.)
Facing the plight of a homeless elderly person, even strangers will feel compassion and extend a helping hand. (Referring to pity and care for the homeless elderly.)